New! Essence Satin Touch Blush in Satin Love | Review with Swatches

I'm a huge fan of Essence cosmetics. They are so affordable, accessible, and they make some pretty awesome products. Not to mention they are cruelty-free!

I have several of their Silky Touch blushes and love them! So, when they came out with some new blushes, you know I had to try at least one.

I picked mine up at Shoppers Drug Mart, and by the time I got there the only shade left was this one in Satin Love (it comes in 3 shades). It's the shade I had in mind anyway. It was only $3.99.

This shade looks like a rosy nude shade in the pan. Applied to my face I get a natural flush of colour as if I worked out or was out in the cold. It's the kind of shade that goes with any makeup look.

I was surprised when I came home and got to swatching and realized that I have nothing like it in my collection. That's always a great thing when you have a rather large makeup collection. 😊

The shade almost morphs itself. At times it looks rosy nude and other times it appears peachy nude but either way, it will end up going with whatever makeup look you choose. I love that!

This blush is very pigmented, you really need a light hand if you have fair skin. I'm sure it would look just beautiful on medium to darker skin tones as well as it is so pigmented. I didn't realize how dark it is until I compared it to my other blushes at home.

I find that I can use this as a sort of blush/bronzer too. I think it's going to look even better on me when I have a tan.

It's also very long-lasting. It stays on until I wash my makeup off at the end of the day! Pretty incredible for only $3.99. It acts like a high-end blush in my opinion.

This product is another winner from Essence (linked here)  Now I'm curious about the other shades!

Have you tried any of these new Satin Touch Blushes?! If so, which one?

*not sponsored. no affiliate links. purchased by me and all thoughts are my own.

New! Real Techniques Multitask Limited Edition Set, 3 Brushes + Case #crueltyfree

I wanted to share this deal with you all asap, as I know I'd be upset if I missed out on it. I know many of my readers love makeup and beauty products like I do, and who doesn't love a deal.

I've been using Real Techniques brushes for years and love all the ones I have, so I had to jump on this deal for this LE set while it's on sale! I ordered this set on Thursday and received it today!

This Real Techniques 4 piece set is limited edition and includes 3 brushes and a carrying case. I saw this set listed on Walmart.ca for around $35. It's on sale right now on iHerb.com for $10.99 USD. This price is good until Wednesday, March 29th, 10am PST. After that, I believe it will still be on sale for approximately $12.21 USD but right now they are offering an additional 10% off, making it only $10.99 USD. The regular price on iHerb is $19.99 USD.

Actually, ALL of the Real Techniques products are an extra 10% off until l March 29, 2017, 10am PST.

What's included:

This limited edition multitask set simplifies your makeup routine. 
The collection has 3 brand new, exclusive brushes with unique cuts and sizes, 
to make you a multitasking pro. These versatile brushes are ideal for liquids, powders, or creams.

1. exclusive multitask face brush: angled cut can be used to set powder, 
apply bronzer and contour face
2. exclusive multitask cheek brush: extreme tapered cut can be used to apply color to apples 
of the cheeks, highlight the cheekbone and contour
3. exclusive multitask eye brush: soft tapered cut can be used to apply color to the crease, 
highlight the brow bone and softly smudge along lash line
4. exclusive design panoramic case: dual carrier and stand keeps brushes organized 
on your counter or on the go

When you order from iHerb, you will receive a 5% credit of your order total towards a future purchase. I had a $2.50 credit from my last order, so that brought my total down as well.

If you want to get this set you can click here to order. 

I'm really looking forward to using this set. I will probably review this set in an upcoming post.

Have a fabulous week!

ps. Real Techniques is cruelty-free!

*Not sponsored. Product(s) purchased by me. Referral links in this post, thank you if you choose to use them!

How to Remove Brassiness From Blonde Hair | Pravana Toning Masque Review

Featured Product:

Pravana The Perfect Blonde Purple Toning Masque/ 5 OZ / Retail Approx $23 USD

Recommended use: 

Once a week for 5 minutes

About:

• Dual ultra-violet dye system increased levels of pigment in this hard-working masque immediately eliminates any yellow or brass
• coconut oil infuses strength, incredible shine and moisturizes

I was looking for an alternative to my purple shampoo, which I like but it can be drying. I've heard that this toning conditioner by Pravana is not only better for your hair but that it's a pretty potent product and really gets the brassiness out of blonde hair. 

You'll see in the photos that I have many tones of blonde and even some brown in my hair.

Here are my results after using the product one time for 5 minutes.

I followed the directions and applied the Perfect Blonde conditioner for 5 minutes after shampooing. The product is a very deep purple, almost indigo colour and you can tell how potent and pigmented it is as you're applying it. 

After towel drying my hair, I swear that I could already see that it had been toned, so I was getting excited. After a quick blow dry. my hair definitely looked toned, but I didn't know how much until I saw the before and after photos that I took (shown below).

Before and after photos are both on the same side and section of my hair. Photos were taken right before treatment and right after the 5-minute Perfect Blonde treatment and quick blow dry. 

After comparing the above before and after photos, you can really see the orange tones in my hair in the before photo, especially on the right-hand side of the photo (just hover over the photo and you'll see what I mean). Then, as you scroll down to the after photo, that entire area is no longer orange, it's been completely toned by the Perfect Blonde conditioner. I'm so happy that I took the photo's, sometimes it's easier to see changes if there are any.

Bleached and/or blonde colour treated hair is notoriously dry from all of the chemical processing. This product is definitely a lot less drying on my hair than my purple shampoo.

I highly recommend this product if you need to tone down any brassiness in your hair. It's much more effective than my usual purple shampoo that I use once a week. By looking at my before picture, it appears that my purple shampoo wasn't doing its job. 

Although it's pricey, I will continue to purchase this product. I spend a lot of money on my hair and by using this product, I can keep it looking fresh and new.

In this line, they also have a daily use purple shampoo and conditioner (different from the masque) which are immediately going on my list of items to try! This may prevent the brassiness in the first place. 😊

ps. It's been 7 months since my last cut and colour, so my hair isn't looking it's healthiest, to say the least. But at least with this product, I've gotten rid of a lot of the brassiness in just one use.

I purchased mine for around $18 on Amazon.

Have you tried this product!?

*Not sponsored. All opinions are mine. No affiliate links.

New! ELF Beautifully Bare Liquid Highlighter Illuminating Dewy Drops

ELF Highlighting Dewy Drops in Illuminating

Featured Product: 
Elf Highlighting Dewy Drops/ 0.5 oz/ Retail approx. $6 

ELF Highlighting Dewy Drops in Illuminating

I was on a mission to find an affordable non-powder face highlighter, either cream or liquid that would be subtle but give me a dewy look without accentuating texture or dryness. I went with this new ELF product as it was just under $6.00

Looks beautiful swatched here on my arm.

ELF Highlighting Dewy Drops in Illuminating

At first, nothing but oil oozed out of the little squeeze tube. Once I got past the oil to the actual highlight, it was a pretty champagne colour that looked pretty universal. 

The swatch of the product looks beautiful once blended out. In some lighting, as shown in the photo below, it has some tiny glitter particles. You cannot feel the glitter at all, the product feels smooth to the touch. That's a plus!

Unfortunately, it swatches better than it performs on my face. And, that clear, greasy oil oozed out every time I went to use this product, not just the first time.

As far as face application is concerned, that's a whole other story. The issues that I encountered when using this product on my face was a lack of control in applying it; I tried my fingers, small brushes, cosmetic wedges, you name it. It always ended up in places where I didn't want it and I would have to spend time trying to clean up.

The other big issue for me was that it looked and felt greasy on my face and it wouldn't dry down. I wanted my face to have a glow, not look greasy! For some reason, the swatch on my arm dried down much more than on my face where it remained greasy looking and feeling.

A little goes a really long way with this product but I was still left greasy looking even with a small amount. 😢

In the lighting below, you can see the fine glitter particles, pretty!

ELF Highlighting Dewy Drops in Illuminating

Conclusion:
This product is not for me. The constant separation of the product where it would ooze out oil was a little annoying- How much product am I wasting!? The lack of control in applying this product and the greasy look and feel is the final deal-breakers for me. I have to pass on this product. Maybe this product will work for someone with a different skin type than mine, and someone who has the patience to work with this product.

I have ELF's Illuminating palette with the 4 powder highlights which I have reviewed here, and I highly recommend it! Now that's a 5-star product!!

Alas, my search for the perfect, affordable cream or liquid highlight continues. I think I will be better off with a cream highlight as I think it will give me more control. Stay tuned for an update, as I happened to find an affordable cream highlight at the store tonight which I will be testing out and reviewing very soon!

You can purchase this product here.

ELF is a cruelty-free and mostly vegan company!

Let me know if you've tried this product? Did it work for you?

*not sponsored. purchased by me. all opinions are mine. some links are affiliate.

Pacifica Dream Big Lash Extending 7 in 1 Mascara Review

Featured Product:

Pacifica Natural Minerals Dream Big Mascara / Retail $16USD / 7.1 grams

I was so excited to try this mascara out, not only do I love the Pacifica brand, but it's the first mascara I've tried that has an adjustable wand that allows you to choose length or volume plus anything in between. I thought gimmick? Turns out it's not. With a twist of the tube, it really does allow you to choose length or volume. You can see the size and shape of the wand change with a twist of the tube (see images below). 

Claims:

This beauty is 7 in 1:
Lash Serum
Instant Length
Lash Lifting
Volumizing
Conditioning
Rich Color
2 in 1 Brush

Amplify your lashes instantly with all natural plant fibers that build and build and build... Clinically studied peptide has been shown to help improve natural lash length and volume. Natural ingredients help condition lashes.

Top photo: for volume / Bottom photo: for length

I'm not sure if I got a bad one, as the formula seems a bit dry to me and the wand doesn't grip my lashes very well. I've tried both the lengthening setting and the volumizing setting and everything in between. What works for me to get the most impact is what Pacifica recommends in their instructions: Using the length setting first, then applying a second coat with the volume setting. Using that method, I am able to get nice big lashes, which is what I love! But, you can also get very natural looking lashes with this product if that's what you're after by using just one coat. 

Another plus is that the product stays put all day and night with zero flaking or smudging and is easy to wash off.

I also love that this product is natural, with healthy lash-loving ingredients, is 100% vegan, and is cruelty-free. 

2 Coats of Pacifica Deam Big Mascara: Length 1st, then Volume

Note: I am not wearing any eyeliner or mascara on my lower lashes

Conclusion:
I love that this product has ingredients for healthy lashes, is vegan, and cruelty-free. And, that with a twist of the tube I can choose volume, length or both. I am also able to get natural looking lashes with one coat or bigger lashes using two coats by using the length and then volume settings. I do find the formula rather dry for my liking and the wand doesn't grip my lashes very well so it took a bit more work than I like to try and get my desired impact- I like big lashes! This product would be great for anyone who likes more natural looking lashes as you can achieve that very easily with this product:

Repurchase: 
I probably wouldn't purchase this formula again but I would definitely try another formula by Pacifica as I know they've got some other new formulas that are supposed to be great!

You can purchase this product here.


Have you tried this product? Love or leave?!

*Not sponsored

New! Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss | Review #TFSWEETPEACH

Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Lip Oil Gloss in Pure Peach

Featured Product: Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Lip Oil Lip Gloss in Pure Peach/ Retail $24.00 CAD/ 4 ML / Available in 8 shades

I happened to be at Sephora recently and when I saw the new Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Lip Oil Gloss available for Beauty Insiders for 100 points, I had to try it out!

As far as I know, there was only one colour available to sample using Beauty Insider points, as I wasn't given an option. I received the colour Pure Peach. It looked pretty orange and almost neon, so I was a bit concerned but I really wanted to try this before deciding if I want to shell out the $24 for a full-size product. I'm attracting to anything with oils or with moisturizing claims since I'm so dehydrated.

Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Lip Oil Gloss in Pure Peach

Even the cap is cute with a little peach puffy sticker 

The Sweet Peach Creamy Lip Oil Glosses are available in 8 shades on Sephora.ca for $24 CAD.

This colour, Pure Peach, is described as a peachy pink on Sephora's website. When swatched it looks peach/orange and I don't see the pink. This is where the pigment of your lips comes in. Once on the lips, it is definitely a peachy pink, at least with the pigment of my lips and I love the colour that I get.

It's pigmented for a gloss but sheer as well, so you get a good dose of colour without it being too much.

Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Lip Oil Gloss in Pure Peach

The wand has a doe foot applicator

These lip glosses are formulated with peach oil, coconut oil, and vitamin E. 

Sweet Peach Creamy Lip Oil has a moisture-rich formula that feels lightweight and creamy. It features shades in nudes, peachy pinks, and corals. Silky and smooth, it’s infused with the skin-loving essence of peach, coconut oil, and vitamins, and each shade smells just like peaches. 

Formulated without: parabens, sulfates, phthalates 

Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Lip Oil Gloss in Pure Peach

In person, this swatch looks more orange than it appears in the photos. 

This gloss has a sweet peachy scent which is a bit strong at first but the scent fades away completely (at least to this nose!).

Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Lip Oil Gloss in Pure Peach

I find that this colour brings a youthfulness to my aging lips/face.

I find it very hydrating and comfortable. Despite the fact that it has oils in it, it doesn't slide around on your face as you might expect. It's not sticky either. And, it lasts for a decent amount of time for a gloss.

I reach for this constantly and if I were to have just one gloss, I would be happy with just this. The only caveat is the thought of spending $24 + taxes for a gloss with only 4ml's of product!

Too Faced Peach Lip Oil Gloss in Pure Peach

This product is vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and free of gluten. 

This product is a real winner for me, I'd love to try ALL the colours!! 

Click here to purchase.

Have you tried this product? If so, which colour?

#TFSWEETPEACH

*Not sponsored. no affiliate links. opinions are my own.

Sephora 2017 Birthday Gift | Tarte Paaarty Blush + Tartiest Lip Paint Birthday Suit with Swatches

This year Sephora is offering some great choices as their birthday gift for Beauty Insiders. One being this Tarte set that I'm featuring, and the other is a skincare set by Caudalie (shown below). I believe in the USA they have a 3rd choice of a Jack Black set.

You can get more info on the birthday gift choices on Sephora's website.

Photo credit: Sephora.ca

 As much as I love skincare, the choice was easy for me. I've never owned a Tarte blush and have always been curious.

The Tarte package includes their Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty (1.5g) as well as their Tartiest Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit (1 ml)- both aptly named.

Tarte Blush in Paaarty | Tartiest Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit

The Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes are "long-wearing, solar-baked blush that lasts up to 12 hours." They are formulated without parabens, sulfates, Phthalates, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, GMOs, and triclosan.

Sephora's website does not offer a colour description for the colour Paaarty. Although it looks mauve in the pan, I would describe it as a peach/pink with a rosy tone. This shade would go with most makeup looks. 

I'm so happy with my choice. The Amazonian Clay blush definitely lives up tot they hype! It's beautiful, pigmented, and long lasting. The colour Paaarty is a perfect peachy-pink matte colour that would be suitable for many skin tones.

Tarte Blush in Paaarty | Tartiest Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit

The Tartiest lip paint in Birthday Suit goes on MUCH darker than it appears in the tube. Far too dark for me. But, I can see how this colour would appeal to those who are younger or have medium to deep skin tones. I prefer much lighter nudes so I won't be using this lip paint. I also found it to be too drying for my aging and dehydrated lips. However, it is a very nice dark nude shade that I'm sure many would appreciate.

Swatches: Tarte Blush in Paaarty | Tartiest Lip Paint in Birthday Suit

Although I won't be using the lip shade, I'm still very happy that I chose the Tarte birthday gift as the blush alone is worth it to me.

Tarte is a cruelty-free company.

You can purchase this duo here.

* This post is not sponsored. No affiliate links are used.

Fun Weekend Makeup & Beauty Haul | Garnier, Wet N Wild, Essence, Infusium 23

I feel like I haven't purchased some new beauty products in a while. This weekend while out running errands I came across a few beauty products that were new to me, they were all pretty affordable so I thought I'd give them a go.

I'm so excited to test all these products out! I plan on reviewing most, if not all of these, so stay tuned for upcoming reviews.

Essence Blush in Satin Love

The first item that I purchased is Essence's new Satin Touch Blush in Satin Love. It was the only colour left at the Shoppers Drug Mart I was shopping at. It appears to be a beautiful everyday shade that will go with any look. I've never tried this formula by Essence, but I've tried their Silky Touch blushes, which I own many of, and they are some of my favourite blushes. Essence is a Cruelty-free brand. This blush was only $3.99

Garnier Moisture Bomb Mask Sheet Mask

The next item that I picked up during my Shoppers Drug Mart trip is this Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb "The Super Hydrating Sheet Mask." This also states that it's new, and it was the last one left in the store. It was on sale for only $2.99. Love that they call it a "Moisture Bomb" mask, we'll see about that. I can wait to try this! Update: Full review linked here!

Infusium 23 Dry Shampoo

I also found this Infusium 23 Color Defender Dry Shampoo at Shoppers Drug Mart. It was on sale for $3 and it was also the last one left. I used to use Infusium 23 leave-in conditioner all the time and I really liked it. I'm really excited to try another Infusium 23 product and see how it compares to my DIY dry shampoo (made from cornstarch).

Wet N Wild Nude Awakening Eyeshadow Palette

I had to stop at Walmart as well, I love to check out their beauty aisles and see what's new. I was happy to see that they had some new Wet n Wild products, including this Au Naturel eyeshadow palette in Nude Awakenings #754A. I haven't read any reviews on this product, so I'm hoping for the best. It has a lot of pink shades and it looks like it has several matte shades too. The other aspect that sold me is that there are a lot of light colours in this palette, as that's what I wear mostly these days. Wet n Wild is also #crueltyfree This palette was $7.50

Ion Leave-in Conditioner

My last stop was Sally's Beauty Supply. I picked up this Ion Styling Solutions Leave-in Conditioner. This 3oz size was around $4.00. I've tried other products by the Ion brand and remember being happy with them. I use a leave-in conditioner every time I wash my hair since it's so dry and damaged. I appreciate this trial size so I don't have to make a big commitment to see whether or not it works for me. This product is 100% Vegan!

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed seeing my new beauty buys!

Have a great week ahead!

Live Clean 5 Piece Spa Therapy Prize Pack | #Giveaway ***CLOSED***

Photo Credit: Live Clean

Who's ready for a fab giveaway!?

Most of you know of my love for the brand Live Clean. My love for them started when they first landed on store shelves where I live. I was on the hunt for natural products made with high-quality ingredients that were also cruelty-free and affordable, and the Live Clean brand met all of my needs.

Live Clean keeps expanding their line and now they not only have great hair and skincare, but they've also added a line of Spa Therapy bath and beauty products, perfect for creating that DIY at home spa day!

I love to give myself an at home spa day once a week. It can be so rejuvenating to take a bit of time out in our hustle and bustle world to pamper ourselves- and we deserve it!

I've partnered up with Live Clean to offer one of my readers the opportunity to experience 5 products from their Spa Therapy line- ALL full sizes! I've personally tried some of the products from this line and I'm loving them! They really make it easy to get that spa experience at home.

Live Clean's Spa Therapy- "Perfectly pampering, deeply relaxing, gently cleansing…luxuriate in Live Clean's Spa Therapy bath and after-bath products. Rich, nourishing oils are joined by certified organic botanicals of soothing White Tea, Aloe Vera and fresh Lemon. Breathe deep."

"Live Clean Spa Therapy was created to soothe, calm and pamper – naturally. Beautiful Body Courtesy of a Beautiful Planet." - Live Clean


5 Piece Spa Therapy Prize Pack:

Spa Therapy Moisturizing Body Wash- SRP $8.99

Nourishes your skin with Coconut, Soy and Jojoba Oils.  Certified organic botanicals of Green Tea and Aloe Vera gently cleanse and detoxify, rejuvenating your senses and leaving your skin soft, silky and smooth.  Not to mention the relaxing, intoxicating fragrance. After the bath, perfect. Any time, perfect. Eco-friendly, and plant and naturally derived.  500 mL. 

Spa Therapy Moisturizing Bath Foam- SRP $8.99

Light, bubbly, frothy…a unique blend of aromatic Lemon and revitalizing Ginger will help ease the tensions of the day away. While you’re soaking, certified organic botanicals of moisturizing Jojoba Oil and healing Aloe Vera will pamper and hydrate your skin. Like every Live Clean product, eco-friendly and plant and naturally derived. 500 mL

Spa Therapy Soothing Dead Sea Salts- SRP $8.99

Helps soothe aching, tired muscles at the end of a long day. Our restorative blend of Epsom and Dead Sea Salts goes to work to relax and purify while organic extracts of Green Tea and Aloe Vera fight free radicals, soften your skin and leave you feeling renewed. Infused with aromatic essential oils of purifying Eucalyptus, calming Lavender, detoxifying Lemon and energy boosting Ginger. It’s bliss in a bath…and because it’s Live Clean, it’s plant and naturally derived, and eco-friendly. 565 g

Spa Therapy Moisturizing Lotion- SRP $8.99

Nourishes and replenishes your skin beautifully. Rich Coconut and Soy Oils soothe and protect while essential Lemon and Ginger Oils envelop your senses. Light in texture and fast-absorbing, with added certified organic Chamomile and Aloe Vera to calm dry skin.  A wonderful sensory experience.  Don’t forget – all Live products are eco-friendly and plant and naturally derived. 500 mL

Spa Therapy Polishing Body Scrub- SRP $8.99

Exfoliates and polishes away dead skin cells revealing smoother, lovelier skin head-to-toe. Live Clean has blended finely ground Corn Meal and Walnut Shell and enriched it with Soy Protein and certified organic Aloe Vera, all the while awakening your senses with aromatic Lemon and revitalizing Ginger. 227 mL

If you didn't already know, Live Clean is an affordable, cruelty-free, eco-friendly company that makes some of the best health and beauty products on the market!

Live Clean products are free from: 

• SLS/ Sulphates

• Phthalates

• Petrolatum 

• Silicone

• Dye

• Parabens

• DEA

• Phosphates

• Mineral Oil

Live Clean's products are almost 100% plant derived and made with the finest ingredients. I still don't know how they manage to make such great products at such affordable prices, but I'm not complaining!

Live Clean can be found at most drugstores in Canada as well as Loblaws, Walmart, Amazon.ca and Well.ca. 

This post is not sponsored. Live Clean is generously providing the products for this giveaway. Products will be shipped directly from Live Clean to the winner.

This giveaway is open to Canadian residents who are over the age of 13 or have parental consent. This giveaway will run for 1 week. The winner will be notified by email.

Good Luck, everyone!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway